Class of '13: Well done!

Although the graduation rate statewide is showing improvement, plenty of teenagers do not complete high school.

Louisiana has reached an all-time high of 72.3 percent of students completing high school in four years.

Many rural parishes in northeastern Louisiana have seen dramatic increases in their graduation rates, but in the most recent data for the 2011-12 school year, Ouachita Parish remained flat at 73 percent graduating and the City of Monroe system lost ground with a 1.1 percent decrease to 64.8 percent.

So, this week, as thousands of area high school students accept their high school diplomas, we count them as success stories and offer our congratulations.

Each student walking across the stage to applause and cheers has accomplished something truly big.

It's really hard to believe that for every 100 students in our metropolitan area, more than a quarter of them do not graduate from high school on time. That's 27 in the parish and 35 in the city for every 100 teens.

So for the students, parents, families and friends who are celebrating this week - we say you've pulled off something special, something that apparently is against the odds.

The next thing that's against the odds we'd like for our graduates to consider is how you can make a life for yourself in northeastern Louisiana.

Perhaps the next step for you is technical school or military service. Or maybe it's college, complete with a TOPS scholarship.

We hope you can find ways to explore job opportunities and career paths locally. So many of our best and brightest have sought their fortunes elsewhere, and we certainly understand the pull to leave.

But our communities need you to provide expertise and leadership for the future. Your energy, vigor and vision is needed to take our region to the next level.

If you go away to study, or to serve our country, we'd like to see you back in a few years.

The next best thing to watching you graduate would be to welcome you home.

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Class of '13: Well done!

Although the graduation rate statewide is showing improvement, plenty of teenagers do not complete high school.